Meditations

Here is some information on meditation to get you started. The best way to learn is to do it. I suggest the following:

WHEN

It works best if you designate a specific time period. For me mediation is the first activity I do after I shower and before I get my day started. 

HOW LONG

I suggest you start with 10 minutes minimum. And as you progress you may increase to 20 minutes, 30 minutes or even 45 mins to an hour. I know some people who do it for 3-4 hours in a day. 1 hour sessions by seasoned practitioners are not uncommon. 

WHAT AND HOW TO

Below are some guided meditations to get you started. They go in detail of how you should sit, breath and think.

1. Meditations by Swami Dayananda - These meditations got me started. They are from my India based guru Swami Dayananda. Below is a very good meditation process that you can follow.

https://app.box.com/s/shi285cfoszpmupwqgt4icqx9n1cfl8l 

Below are some 40 guided meditations by Swami Dayananda

https://app.box.com/s/3kdni5co1o7p7jxwatx0a9isoarwx25m 

2. Meditations by Sam Harris - I also like the below 9 minutes and 26 minutes guided session by Sam Harris. He has spent more than 10 years practicing meditation. He also has a phd in neuroscience.

https://soundcloud.com/albertje25/sets/meditation-mindfullness

The chapter one of book waking up, also gives a good perspective on meditation.

http://soundcloud.com/samharrisorg/waking-up-chapter-one

APPS
Below are some more sources. My practice of meditation involves many methods described by Joseph Goldstein in 10% happier app. Other sources come recommended by Sam Harris and Tim Ferriss. I have not personally tried those.

10% Happier
Calm
Headspace
Guided Meditations by Tara Brach

WHY DO IT?

I meditate because it gives me deep sub conscious level relaxation. It helps me get in tune with my own thoughts, anxieties and restlessness. And I also find the practice of meditation pleasurable. 

More than 80% of people interviewed by Tim Ferriss on his podcasts meditate on a regular basis. http://fourhourworkweek.com/podcast/ These are very successful and busy people of the current generation such as Brian Koppelman, Seth Godin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tim Ferriss and Josh Watzkin. 

Hope this helps to get you started. Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Let me know if you get started. Happy Meditating!

Sachin

Investment Portfolio Optimzation

Themes driving weighting or sensitivities to each of the asset classes within a portfolio:

• The correlation of the asset class with other asset classes in the portfolio. Want lower correlations. E.g have equities and commodities in the portfolio. When equities are doing bad, the commodities are either steady or going up.
• What is the proportion of the asset class relative to the total market portfolio consisting of equities, fixed income, commodities, natural resources. Like to weigh more towards the expected asset class that will make up for majority in future.
• Expected return vs the downside risk. Assign more weight to asset class whose expected return is very high vs downside. E.g double down on equities/fixed income during the market lows of Oct 2008 or March 2009

The expectations for the above three mixes are shifting constantly with the change in economic environment constantly but adjusting the portfolio the advantage of unusual situations should yield satisfactory outcomes vs the do nothing portfolio.